What do you get when you cross the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees in the 2021 American League Wild Card Game?
Apparently, remnants of the Chicago Cubs.
Red Sox designated hitter Kyle Schwarber and Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo played together for the Cubs between 2015 and 2020. Now, they’ll duke it out in order to keep their respective teams playing beyond Tuesday night’s winner-take-all showdown at Fenway Park.
Both players are batting leadoff Tuesday, marking the first time in MLB postseason history that starting leadoff hitters were teammates on a third team in the season prior, according to Elias Sports Bureau (via Sarah Langs of MLB.com).
Rizzo, who spent all but one of his 10 previous seasons in MLB with the Cubs, was traded to the Yankees at the deadline this season. After three All-Star campaigns, Rizzo seems to be winding down in his career as he is hitting .248 on the season — his lowest since 2013.
On the other hand, Schwarber is having quite the resurgence since joining the Red Sox from the Washington Nationals at the trade deadline. His .291 batting average through 41 games with the Red Sox is a career high.
We’ll see who comes out on top Tuesday, but you have to wonder — who are Cubs fans cheering for here?
